Avintia Racing launches 2013 squad

Spain’s Monteblanco circuit was the setting for Avintia Racing’s 2013 launch on Friday. As well as running CRT bikes for Hiroshi Aoyama and Héctor Barberá in MotoGP™ this year, the squad also has Toni Elías and Britain’s Kyle Smith in its Moto2™ line-up.

The presentation featured various activities for guests, such as the opportunity to take to the track in a selection of vehicles while being coached by professional instructors. The riders – joined by team heads Raul Romero and Antonio Martín – later assembled for a team photograph ahead of the resumption of testing in Jerez next week.

Kyle Smith’s debut will be his first appearance in any of the current MotoGP™ categories.

“Thanks to Avintia Blusens, I will have the opportunity to learn alongside great riders and a great crew,” says the 21-year-old from Huddersfield, who at the age of seven relocated with his family to Spain. “I have to learn and just progress step-by-step, but I hope to achieve some good results.”

In pre-season testing so far this year, Avintia have appeared to be the closest challengers to CRT class leaders and reigning champions Power Electronics Aspar.